Kokosing removes W14 I 90 Eastbound ramp from Innerbelt Bridge

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 14:10.

I 90 west 14st ramp accelleration lane removal Kokosing image 10.20.09 jeff buster

The W 14th street I 90 ramp had an accelleration lane added on the Innerbelt Bridge after the bridge was built.  The accelleration lane added weight and cantilever forces on the trusses which the Bridge was not originally designed to withstand.  

Removing this accelleration lane will take tons of deadweight off of the span.   The 8 or 10 foot deep gray solid steel girder under the Kokosing work men is part of the added accelleration lane and will, I believe, also be removed.

This added on accelleration lane - not in the original bridge design - explains why the W14th ramp was closed over a year ago.  w14 inner belt acceleration lane diagonal strut support image 10.20.09 jeff buster

This strut places  unbalanced lateral (side to side) loading on the bridge, for which the bridge was not originally designed.   The top two images can ve viewed from Sokolowski's parking lot.

HIGH IRON BRIDGE WORKERS

Ironworkers under I 90 inner belt bridge replacing rivets bolts 10.20.09 image jeff buster

Under the bridge ironworkers are removing the old rivets and replacing the rivets with bolts and stiffening plates.  These fellows spend the day about a 100 feet above the Cuyahoga - like trolls under the nursery rhyme bridge - using C clamps and bailing wire to hold a plank for  a temporary walkway to provide access to the inside of the bridge truss.

If I was a telephoto OSHA inspector, these guys would pass inspection.  Notice ear plugs (air chipping hammer very loud), face shield/safety glasses, hard hats, steel toed boots, fall arrest harnesses, high visibility vests, gloves.   The red airline needs special safety clips at its connectins - I can't see the connections so I can't tell if the clips are there.

And the hydraulic telescoping personel lift/orange basket has its own set of inspection requirements.

Also, the area below the workers requires fencing/warning tape - so no one walks underneith and takes a falling rivet to the top of the head .   Not so sure this was in place.  This view is from the Cold Storage building.

Do heights bother you?   Then this may not be your line of work...

 

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Bridge design

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 19:10.

 I watched the crews take down the acceleration lane last Saturday from the picture window at Sokolowski's.  I really wish I had my camera that night.  It was a beautiful image to watch the sparks from the welding torches fall from the bridge into the glistening black waters of the Cuyahoga River below. 

Thank you, JB, for putting this into context.

What do you think this means in terms of the  long range bridge plans?  I know that Tremont residents and businesses are not happy to lose their immediate access to the Inner belt and downtown.

my opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer, my spouse, my cat, my neighbors, my extended family or anyone I happen to acknowledge on the street, bus, etc.

Missed Photo Op - Inner Belt cut down OxyAcet sparks

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 19:28.

Damn,  Next time pls tel me!  I can handle Sokolowski's.

what a pain in the @ss it is to go E on I-90 from Tremont...

Submitted by noner on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 19:30.

 i mean seriously - you either have to drive into downtown and pickup eastbound at E 30th & Prospect Ave, drive through Ohio City (busy traffic all the time anymore) and take W25th all the way north past Detroit and then west to W29th or drive all the way to West 42nd. 

I drove to Beachland the other night, it took me a half a hour.

and we west-side people are spoiled when it comes to highway access, god dammit.... so someone needs to figure something out!

Sokolowski REALNEO meet-up???

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 19:45.

Now...I think we can all agree that Sokolowski's is neutral turf :) 

We could also hash out a foreclosure prevention strategy for Frank G :)  Let's do it. Sooner than later.

 
my opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer, my spouse, my cat, my neighbors, my extended family or anyone I happen to acknowledge on the street, bus, etc.